

The Pathless Path with Paul Millerd
Paul Millerd
The Pathless Path is hosted by Paul Millerd - a writer, creator, and consultant. He has conversations with freelancers, self-employed entrepreneurs, creators, and vagabonds who share their perspectives on their relationship with work, burnout, bootstrapping, indie hacking, remote work, reinvention, creativity, sabbaticals, leisure, self-employment, unconventional living, and digital nomadism. Past guests include Ali Abdaal, Russ Roberts, Kevin Kelly, Khe Hy, David Senra, Derek Sivers, Joe Hudson, Luke Burgis, Ben Hunt, Dan Vassallo, Steph Smith, Alex Pang, Visakan Veerasamy, Michael Ashcroft, Kyla Scalon, Trung Phan, Justin Welch, and more.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 15, 2023 • 1h 33min
#145 Capitalist by Day, Spiritual by Night - Alex Hardy on achievement, Wall Street, tech startups, exiting his company, pride & suffering, his sabbatical, suppressing his curiosity and rediscovering his passions
Alex was crushing it early in his career, ending up on Wall Street after getting a combined JD/MBA. But after a few years, he went looking for his next mountain, aiming his ambition at the tech sector. He ended up co-founding LiveOak, a company he eventually sold in 2020. After that, he struggled to determine what was next and finally decided to walk away from more than a million dollars. Now he's embracing non-doing, reconnecting with his passions, and figuring out what's next. 🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @CantHardyWait⌛TIMESTAMPS(01:08) - The scripts Alex grew up with
(10:06) - Law School & Business School
(22:41) - Wall Street, Banking & The Pride in suffering
(30:55) - Tech Start-ups, coffee meetings and friendlessness
(56:19) - Exiting his tech company & "Total Work"
(01:14:24) - His Sabbatical, Finding Work Worth Doing & The American Mind
(01:21:05) - Forgotten Hobbies, Borders & The Love for The Present
(01:29:02) - Closing remarks
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

22 snips
May 8, 2023 • 1h 13min
#144 The Creator Pivot - Khe Hy on laying people off, collapsing course demand, seasons of creativity, having zero change in net worth in eight years, competitiveness, investing, coaching, and marriage on the pathless path
In 2015 Khe left a Wall Street carrier to pursue his own path of "uncomfortable introspection", reevaluating his life. This is a constant process - Khe is always being emergent to himself. Now he finds himself at a crossroads - after a great initial success in 2020, he recently had to scale down his cohort-based course. Although laying people off was tough, Khe welcomes the change as entering a new season of creativity.🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @khemaridhradreads.coDownload Khe's Free Money Guide⌛TIMESTAMPS(01:43) - Leaving Wallstreet behind
(08:16) - Money, Winning and Fears
(13:04) - Sharing online, spending money and investing
(18:16) - Coaching and marriage
(22:27) - Leading online courses
(33:14) - Organizational complexity vs $10 work
(39:57) - Shutting down his course
(52:39) - Cohorts vs self-based courses
(54:15) - Writing and selling books
(01:02:32) - Creativity vs productivity
(01:07:36) - Closing remarks
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

32 snips
May 1, 2023 • 1h 13min
#143 The Art of Living - Kyle Kowalski on how to have an existential crisis, synthesizing the art of living, curiosity as fuel, his relationship with money, "killing himself to work" and "purpose washing" in big companies
Kyle was a marketing executive who believed in the "hard work" ethic. After an existential crisis, he decided to carve his own path as a solopreneur and started Sloww - "a trusted resource of lifelong learning". Kyle describes his purpose as "synthesizing the art of living for students of life".🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @KyKowSloww: sloww.coHappiness BookIgikai 2.0⌛TIMESTAMPS(01:22) - The scripts that Kyle grew up with
(13:59) - How to have an existential crisis
(30:29) - Decompressing from his career
(43:17) - Sloww, thinking and the art of living
(53:37) - Kyle's next phase, sharing the personal story
(01:03:19) - Long form content, Kyle's course on synthesis
(01:09:33) - Where can we find Kyle?
(01:10:04) - Thanks and Goodbyes
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

18 snips
Apr 17, 2023 • 52min
#142 Goofing Off On Purpose - Kevin Kelly on why we should subsidize travel for young people, owning his time, a rest ethic, riding his bike across US, his love of YouTube, staying optimistic about the future, raising children and his new book
Kevin is the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, a writer and a photographer. When he was young he dropped out of college and travelled to Taiwan, which he describes as a live changing experience. Kevin is passionate about owning his time, the importance of goofing off and staying optimistic about the development of technology.🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Kevin's website: kk.orgKevin's articles on WiredExcellent Advice on Living: Amazon⌛TIMESTAMPS(01:01) - Taiwan and the importance of travel
(09:31) - Owning time instead of money
(14:50) - Work, rest ethic, taking time to goof off
(25:35) - Riding his bike across US
(29:23) - YouTube
(33:50) - Patience, optimism and technological changes
(40:37) - Raising Children
(45:48) - Kevin's book and the power of outsourcing
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

45 snips
Apr 10, 2023 • 1h 7min
#141 Ryan Holiday's Secret Weapon - Billy Oppenheimer on growing in Philadelphia, almost going to law school, role models, working with Ryan Holiday, his research process, the notecard system, skiing, and the downsides to fame
Billy used to be an avid skier, working odd jobs and traveling between the northern and southern hemispheres trying to catch the best skiing. In 2018 he e-mailed Ryan Holiday and pitched him on doing some work for him for free. In a couple of months, he was hired as Ryan's research assistant. Billy is one of the most curious people I know and we dive into his journey. 🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @bpoppenheimerWebsite: billyoppenheimer.comBilly's Newsletter⌛TIMESTAMPS(00:56) - The scripts Billy grew up with
(13:45) - Reaching out to Ryan Holiday
(17:52) - The research process and learning from Ryan
(25:21) - Skiing, Australia and finding his own voice
(40:23) - Animal courtship
(43:42) - How Ryan Holiday manages his team
(51:42) - Ambition and learning from past models
(01:03:10) - Downsides to fame
(01:04:01) - Where can we find Biilly?
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

Apr 3, 2023 • 34min
#140 Tom Peters - Fired from McKinsey to Top Business Thought Leader
I'm sharing this conversation I had a couple of months ago with Tom Peters. Our convo got cut a bit short but it was a fun conversation reflecting on his trajectory, why he got kicked out of McKinseyTo learn more about Tom: His Website
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

Mar 27, 2023 • 52min
#139 Compounding Memes - Trung Phan on his great grandfather, living abroad, the expat community in Asia, writing, working at The Hustle, children and work, balancing his various activities, going solo, and playing the long game
Trung is a writer at Workweek, cofounder of bearly.ai, and co-host of the Not Investment Advice podcast. He is passionate about playing the long game and unleashing the power of compounding.🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @TrungTPhanWebsite: trungtphan.comBearly.AIPodcast: Not Investment AdviceTrung's writing at Bloomberg and Workweek Trung's Newsletter⌛TIMESTAMPS(02:12) - College and getting up late
(04:44) - Trung's great grandfather - Vietnamese hero
(09:31) - Vietnam, important lessons from living abroad
(22:05) - Writing & productivity
(42:49) - Kids, work & flexibility
(46:43) - Playing the long game
📕Buy Paul’s Book (Published Jan 2022): The Pathless Path😁👉😁 Want To Connect, Create & Root For Others On The Pathless Path? - Join 100+ Others In The Find The Others Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to BoundlessPaul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:I use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Your HereI record high-quality video using Riverside: Sign Up HereBecome a sponsor of the Podcast / NewsletterWant to upgrade your Zoom studio? Check out Kevin Shen’s Dream Studio CourseWant to launch a course? Podia or Teachable are both greatWeb Hosting: Skystra Fast WordPress HostingHost your own community" Circle 14-day free trial
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

6 snips
Mar 20, 2023 • 1h 12min
#138 Money & The Creator Economy - Steph Smith on our lack of wisdom about money, reaching "ice cream freedom", The Hustle, balancing employment and side gigs, unconventional paths, opportunities in the creator economy and how not to get disappointed at your wedding
Steph Smith is the host of the a16z podcast and is an online creator, former consultant, former digital nomad and all-around badass. We talk about money, work, relationships, and weddings...🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @stephsmithioSteph's book: doingcontentright.coma16z PodcastThe Sh*t You Don't Learn in School PodcastBlog: stephsmith.io⌛TIMESTAMPS(01:19) - The scripts that Steph grew up with
(03:47) - Perceptions of money over time
(29:15) - Working at The Hustle
(33:57) - A16Z and Beginner's Mindset
(38:04) - Solving the life puzzle with a partner
(46:56) - Scripts around kids
(52:20) - Avoiding long wedding planning cycles
(56:10) - Full-time employment and podcasting
(58:01) - Opportunities in the creator economy
(01:02:23) - Is Paul underpricing his book?
(01:05:57) - The most interesting opportunities in the creator economy
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

11 snips
Mar 13, 2023 • 1h 10min
#137 Life as Conversation - Russ Roberts on his relationship with his father, starting the EconTalk podcast in 2006, Adam Smith, why people want to be "lovely", aiming high, why it's hard to have fun, misunderstandings of the academic world, and moving to Israel in his 60's
Russ is an economist, a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and president of Shalem College in Jerusalem. One of pioneers of podcasting, he's been hosting EconTalk since 2006.🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @EconTalkerEconTalk Website: www.econtalk.orgEconTalk YouTube Channel⌛TIMESTAMPS(03:25) - The influence of Russ' father
(11:13) - What modern economics often fails to observe
(16:15) - Adam Smith and human nature
(27:05) - Starting EconTalk in 2006
(40:42) - Moving to Israel in his 60's
(45:35) - How people misunderstand the Academia
(49:43) - How Russ' approach to his podcast developed over time
(53:01) - The metaphor of a conversation
(57:11) - Mortality & fatherhood
(01:03:49) - Russ' dream guest and what's next
📕Buy Paul’s Book: The Pathless Path🤝Join Find The Others: A Community For People On Unconventional Paths📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to BoundlessPaul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:I use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Your HereI record high-quality video using Riverside: Sign Up HereBecome a sponsor of the Podcast / NewsletterWant to upgrade your Zoom studio? Check out Kevin Shen’s Dream Studio CourseWant to launch a course? Podia or Teachable are both greatWeb Hosting: Skystra Fast WordPress HostingHost your own community" Circle 14-day free trial
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here

Mar 6, 2023 • 1h 11min
#136 Complexity & Complicatedness - Sam Spurlin on playing hockey, why he quit teaching, studying at Claremont, leaving a PhD program, working pro bono too start his career, complicated vs complex systems, how to deal with ego in organizations, remote work failures, podcasting with his brother, and the importance of a retrospective meeting
Sam is a partner at The Ready - an organizational design consultancy operating fully remotely. He is also a prolific writer, passionate about personal development, self-managing organizations and adopting a more human, adaptive, and meaningful way of working.🎥🍿 YOUTUBE: WATCH HERELinks:Twitter: @samspurlinInstagram: samspurlinLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samspurlinSam's writing: samspurlin.com/writingSam's writing on Medium: samspurlin.medium.comNewsletter: thedeliberate.substack.com/p/landing-page⌛TIMESTAMPS(00:53) - The scripts that Sam grew up with
(10:09) - Teaching and why Sam quit
(17:10) - Claremont and letting go of the PhD
(25:49) - Working pro bono to become a consultant
(31:26) - Complicated vs complex systems, ego in the organizations
(53:49) - Writing, podcasting, farming and retrospective meetings
(01:02:02) - The trap of a "dream job"
(01:05:27) - Closing remarks
📕Buy Paul’s Book (Published Jan 2022): The Pathless Path😁👉😁 Want To Connect, Create & Root For Others On The Pathless Path? - Join 100+ Others In The Find The Others Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to BoundlessPaul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:I use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Your HereI record high-quality video using Riverside: Sign Up HereBecome a sponsor of the Podcast / NewsletterWant to upgrade your Zoom studio? Check out Kevin Shen’s Dream Studio CourseWant to launch a course? Podia or Teachable are both greatWeb Hosting: Skystra Fast WordPress HostingHost your own community" Circle 14-day free trial
📘 GOOD WORK: LIVE! => Learn More📕 Buy Paul’s Book (50k+ Sold): The Pathless Path😁 Join Hundreds On Unconventional Paths: Pathless Path Community📲Connect + Follow PaulTwitter: @p_millerdInstagram: @pathlesspaulPaul’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Pathless (23k+ People)Paul’s YouTube: Subscribe🙏Further Ways To Support The Podcast:Accounting, Taxes, And Payroll For Your S-Corp (Ideal for $60k+ income): CollectiveLooking for alternatives to traditional health insurance in the US? Check out CrowdhealthI use Transistor to host this podcast. It rocks. Launch Yours HereI record high-quality videos using Riverside: Sign Up Here